Machine including means for cleaning containers



Oct. 13, 1942.

P. R. FECHHEIMER MACHINE INCLUDING MEANS FOR CLEANING CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 29, 193e ATTORNEYB.

s sheets-sheet 1 v Oct. 13, 1942.

P. R. FEcHHElMl-:R 2,298,475

MACHINE INCLUDING MEANS FOR CLEANING CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 29, 1958 s sheets-sheet 2 I I 43 I l '4 i 49 0 g 4l 0 54 i418l 79 54 I ,l 4| 4a o :"`-L O 16 78 5 g 27 24 5 i es! l 33 3l Il' 1 ,nl l' ll 2 la ,2 62 I I 52 y ao 80 8l 1% Ww) I v f k EIG.5.

INVENTOR. uz. ZCHHE/ME/.

BY M624# M ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 13, 1942.

P. R. FECHHEIMER MACHINE INCLUDING MEANS FOR CLEANING CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 29, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 AINVENTOR. ff. l.FsC/w//v/E/z.

FIG. 6'.

ATroRNEYs.

Patented Oct. 13, 1942 `MACHINE VINCLUDIN G MEANS FOR CLEAN- ING CONTAINERS Paul R. Fechheimer, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Karl Kiefer Machine Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 29, 1938, Serial No.'227,265

8 Claims.

My invention .has to do with the provision of means for cleaning containers (of which bottles will be taken as an Yexemplary embodiment), in an inverted position, and 'such means in combination with means fo-r performing other functionsxon the bottles. Accordingly one ofthe objects of my invention is'the provision of improved means for inverting bottles and for returning them to an upright position during a cycle of operation, and means -for treating the bottles when inthe several positions; and the ancillary objects of my Vinvention will be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent 'to one skilled in the alUU-Don reading thesespecications. Reference may therefore now be Ymade to the drawings i.

wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of my 'mechanism with parts cut away to show other parts.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view thereof, again with 'i parts cut away to show other parts.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken .through the machine along the lines `3-`3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of'a mechanism for introducing cleaning fluid into the containers.

Fig. 5 is a ,partial sectional view of the same mechanism taken atright angles, namely along the lines '5 5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a semi-diagrammatic elevational view withparts in section Yand with a large number of parts eliminated for vthe sake of clearness` showing the combination of my cleaning mecha- `nsm with a filling mechanism.

Briefly characterizing the exemplary embodiment of my machine, I provide Aa rotatable work i table. `Containerstraveling along a conveyor are fed to'this'work table bya star-wheel or other1 suitable mechanism; .and the containers are clamped by appropriate means onthe work table. The containers are inverted by swinging the clamping means through substantially 180 degrees. This is accomplished by means of a cam track as will hereinafter be more fully described. While the bottles 'are in inverted position they are cleaned. After this the clamping `mechanism is `righted again through the action of the cam. The bottles are then either removed Yfrom the work-table and returned to the conveyor or they are filled prior to their removal from the table, depending upon the functions desired in the completed machine.

Coming now to a specic description of an exemplary mechanism .as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and `3, the machine has a suitable framework indicated generally at I. A motor 2 is mounted on `veniently be employed.

on Vthe base and maybe controlled by a hand wheel l.

The motor base 8 has a'threaded portion 9 to receive the lthreaded endof the shaft; so that by adjusting the hand wheel l, the motor may be moved up and down the rods'li.

I have shown'a-moving conveyor Itraveling along the forward edge of the machine frame. No drive has'been shown'for this conveyor since the conveyor may be common to a plurality of machines. However, if this is not the case, a drive for the conveyor from the motor 2 or from another motor may readily 'beprovided Ihave designateda Work table generally at I I. This work table is mounted on a revolving vhollow shaft igmounted over a hollow post I3 of the machine, and upon suitable bearings such as the roller bearings shown 'in Fig. 3. The worktable has'a construction which will hereinafterbe more fully described. A vstar-wheel I4 operated in timed relationship to vthe work table, serves in connection with a cooperatingguide means I5 to transfer bottles or the likel from the conveyor III to the work table. In Fig. 1 "the conveyor -I G is indicated as movingV toward the right. The starwheel III has a counterclockwise rotation while the work table `I I rotates in a clockwise direction. Another star-wheel IB, cooperating with a guide il removes thebottlesfrom the-work -table and repositions them upon the vconveyor IIJ.

The parts hereinabove referred to are, or include, the main parts of fthe apparatus which are to be driven. The drive-for these parts will now be brieydescribed. In the particular embodiment of my machine the motor 2 4by means of a belt I'B drives a'pulley -I9 'which is rotatable upon theshaft-Zll of a gear box 2|. Thepulley I4 bears clutch teeth, as shown,'and a cooperating toothed clutch member 22 isslidably splined to the shaft y26. When these clutch members are engaged the shaft 2G will be driven.

The construction of the gearbox may be as desired, its purpose being primarily to give a'suitable speed reduction. Ordinarily a'worm drive is used. The driving shaft ofthe gear box is provided with a gear 23. This gear meshes with another indicated at 24 which is on axshaft bearing a Agearltot'rneshing With aring gearindicated at 25, which is attached to the sleeve I2. As a variant construction, the gear 25 could be made integral with the casting which forms the body of the work table H; and the work table is driven in either way, as desired.

For driving the star-Wheels the gear 24 meshes with another gear 26, which in turn meshes with a gear 21 on the shaft of the star-wheel I4. This gear is not fixed to the shaft of the star-wheel, but a safety mechanism is provided which will be referred to hereinafter. The star-wheel I4 on its shaft is positively geared to the star-wheel I6 on its shaft by gearing indicated at 28, 29 and 30 in Fig. 2.

In connection with the drive for the work table and the star-wheels I prefer to employ mechanism such as that set forth in the copending case of Stanley R. Rosendale, Serial No. 169,616, filed October 18, 1937. So far as this case is concerned it will be sucient to point out as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, that on the shaft 3| of the starwheel I4 I slidably spline a member 32 which has tapering teeth on it coacting with mating depressions in a collar on the gear 21. This acts, therefore, as a motion transmitting clutch between the gear 21 and the shaft 3|; but if an unusual strain occurs on the star-wheel, as when a bottle jams, the member 32 will be forced downwardly 'and this drive disconnected. The member 32 is held in an engaged relationship by the end of a lever 33, pivoted on the frame of the machine and having at its other end a detent 34. A lever 35 operatively connected to a starting handle 36 bears a cooperating detent 31. The lever 35 is connected by a link 38 to a bell crank arrangement indicated generally at 39. One arm of the bell Crank is connected to the drive clutch member 22. When the detents 34 and 31 are engaged, the clutch on the drive shaft 20 will be latched in engaged position. however, Vthe member 32 will be forced downwardly and will cause the lever 33 to release the engagement of the detents. The clutch, therefore, is thrown out, there being provided for this purpose a suitable resilient means such as a spring, not shown. Also, a spring, not shown, urges the lever 33 into latching position. If the machine is stopped it may be started again by operating the handle 36. A stop handle 31 has an operative connection, not shown, with the lever 33, such that when the handle 31 is actuated the left hand end of the lever 33 will be raised and the detents disengaged so as to stop the machine. Since the star-wheel I4 is positively geared to the starwheel I6 a jam occuring at the star-wheel I6 will also operate to depress the member 32, stop the star-wheels, and disconnect the main drive through the clutch 22 as described.

The work table is in the form of a hollow casting as most clearly shown in Fig. 3. This casting is bolted or otherwise fastened to the hollow sleeve I2. The casting is also journaled on a stationary ring 40 which is bolted or otherwise fastened to the machine frame. On the work table at the work stations I provide mounting members indicated at 4I. To these mounting members I pivot container receiving mechanism consisting of bases 42 having integral standards 43. A pair of rods 44, 45 are slidably journaled on the standards. These rods bear bracket means 46 having perforated container top engaging means 41. At their bottoms the rods are provided with cam followers 48; and the rods are urged downwardly by springs 49 engaging between thecam follower brackets and the journals If a jam occurs,y

for the rods on the standards 43. A cam 59 which may be common to the loading and unloading stations raises the rods 44, 45 at these stations, and therefore also raises the container engaging means 41. In operation, bottles are delivered onto the base 42 while the member 41 is raised. As the Work table moves away from the loading station the rods are lowered by the cam so as to cause the member 41 to engage the tops of the containers and clamp them against the base 42. For this purpose the member 41 includes a centering bell as shown at 5I in Fig. 4. In order vto adjust the apparatus for containers of different height, the member 46 may be moved on the rods and tightened in new positions by threaded tightening means indicated at 52 in Fig. 3.

Because the bottles or other containers are now tightly clamped between the base 42 and the member 41, the entire clamping mechanism thus far described may be swung about its pivot on the mounting means 4I so as to invert the bottles. The member 42 bears for this purpose a cam follower 53 which engages in a track on a cam member 54. The cam member 54 is so shaped that during the travel of the Work table the clamping mechanism which is in engagement with the containers will be swung through an angle of 180 degrees from the upright position shown at the left in Fig. 3 to the fully inverted position shown at the right in the same figure. Where the machine is to be used only as a device for cleaning bottles, it will be usual so to proportion the cam 54 that the bottles are inverted when they arrive at a point of travel of the work table substantially opposite the loading station, and remain inverted for a sufficient length of travel of the work table to permit cleaning, being returned to normal or upright position by the time the containers reach the unloading station. But it will be clear that by otherwise proportioning the cam 54 the bottles may be inverted, cleaned, and returned to upright position during much less than the full travel of the work table. Hence a sufcient portion of the travel of the work table is left so that the containers may be lled or otherwise treated during the travel of the work table and while they are in upright position.

The machinsm for cleaning the bottles is generally shown most clearly in Fig. 3, Figs. 4 and 5 being details of the cleaning mechanism. A carriage 55 is slidably splined to the rotating sleeve I2. This carriage bears the cleaning mechanism. Its height may be adjusted by means of a threaded shaft 56 journaled on the sleeve I2 and engaged in a threaded portion of the carriage. The carriage is provided with this raising and lowering means so as to permit adjustment for varying heights of containers, as will be clear; and it will also be clear that the carriage and therefore the cleaning mechanism rotates with the work table.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, an exhaust means 51 is rst brought into contact with the sureis admitted to the small cylinders., The exhaust member 51 ,has a slidingv connection with an exhaust tubev 64, as shown.

The head 66 is fastened toa cylinder 65. Within this cylinder a hollow cleaning spout or nozzle 66- forms the rod of a piston 61. Normally this piston is forced downwardly by a spring 68in the cylinder. The upper end of the cylinder isclosed by a sleeved member 69 which is perforated with small holes, ask at 1|), to-relieve pressure above the piston 61. I-lencev when` air under pressure is admitted to the lower end of the cylinder through a conduit 1|, the piston will be forced upwardly causing the nozzle'topass through suitable perforations in the exhaustA member 51' and through the perforation in the clamping member 41 and into the container therebeyond. The piston 61 carries a buffer or' shock absorbing spring 12 which engages the end of the sleeved member 68 when the piston is thrust-upwardly under air pressure. In cleaning, a blast ofair is forced into the bottles or other containers through the spout 6'6, and the air so introducedis exhausted through the members 41 and 51, carrying with it any foreign matter which may bein the bottles. The cleaning mechanism 'thus far described may be resiliently mounted upon a bracket 13 on the carriage 55` by means of a rubber mounting 14 or its equivalent.

The hollow work table casting isshown in Fig. 3 as havingv an interior machined surface 15-against which bears a member 16, having a cooperatively machined surface; This member 16 is held stationary while the work table rotates as by being clamped at 1.1 against the stationary post |3. The variousv tubes 1|` and 62 are connected to appropriate openings in the slanting portion of the work table casting as shown. The member 16 'actsthrough most of the travel of the work table to close off these openings, thus acting` as a valve. However, at the cleaning station the. member 16 has av valve opening 18 towhich air is admitted under pressure fromI a suitable compressonnot shown, by means of a conduit 19. At the cleaning station, therefore, air under-pressure is simultaneously admitted to tubes 1|4 and 62 an-d the'cleaning action which I have described above occurs. As theA containers move-away from the cleaning station the' member 16 again acts as a valve to cut oi the air pressure; When the air pressure is released, of course, the spring 68 withdraws the spout 86- from the container and thersprings 63 lower the exhaust member..

The brackets 13 also bear an exhaust 'fitting' 88 of annular form to which the exhaust tubes 6'4 are attached. The exhaust tting, of course, ro-

tates with the work table and as it does so` at the cleaning station, it turns against an exhaust manifold 8|l attached to the frame of the machine. Air is exhausted from this manifold by meansy of a conduit' 82, which may be open to the atmosphere through a separation device, or may be connected to an exhaust fan or the like.

The operation of cleaning the bottles will now be clear; means for treating the bottles or containers may be incorporated in the machine. In Fig. 6 I have indicated an exemplary lling mechanism so incorporated. A standard 83 is xed to the work table and bears a reservoir 84. This reservoir may be kept filled with the material which is to be introduced into the containers through a pipe 85 from a source of the material, not shown, the flow through the pipe being controlled by a float valve indicated generally at 86. Filler mecha- As I have already indicated, other 'l nism'sgmayrbe pivoted as; at. 8.1' toa cover 88 for the; reservoir which; rotates therewith, so that these vfiller mechanismsV are carried around with the containersVJ on theY workv table.

This is an exemplaryy showing, and modifications'may be madein it. Thus: the filling stems could be mounted in tracks attached to the cover 88 of the reservoir and thus constrainedv to move vertically by the cam mechanismhereinafterset forth. The inlet tubes 89 and 95, and the check valve 92 will, of course, move with theV iilling tubes and in a vertical'plane.

The filler mechanisms in the exemplary'embodiment' comprise each a tube 89; which` extends downwardly into the material inthe reservoir, and a cross tube $0 which connects the tube 5! n witha lling head indic'atedgenerally at 9i. IIhe tube will preferably be provided with a check valve 92. The lling head has anv end portion adapted. toenter the bottles through the perforationV in the clamping member 41. In order to raise and lower the filling mechanisms about the pivots 81' I provide each of them with a cam fcllower 93 which engages a cam Se. The cam is stationary while the lling heads move; and I have shown the cam supported by means ofv rods 95 onrstandards 96 which are fixed to theframe of the machine, although the cam may be otherwise supported if desired. An exhaust tube 81 passes down through each of the filling heads and has communication with the interior oft the containers. These tubes are connected by conduit means 98 to-arotating valve plate 59. This plate-bears against a stationary valve member |86 shown as held by a` rod |01 to the standard 96. Anv exhaust connection tothe valve plate it is shown at |62. The'valve arrangement issuoh as to connect the exhaust line |52 with the exhaust tube 91 of any particular filling head 9| only when that fillingl head is in filling position. The exhaust connection when so effectuated removes air fromthe containers' and in doing so causes the filling material in the reservoir 84 to be drawn up through the tubes 89 and'Qil, and introduced intofthe containers through the filling head. Ex-

cess material introducedV into the containerswill be withdrawn through the exhaust tube 91, so that the containers cannot be overlled. There will be no filling action, of course, until the exhaust connection is effectuated.

It willbeunderstood that modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit of it.

Having thus described my invention in certain exemplary' embodiments, what I claim as newy and desire to secure by' Letters Patent, is:

1. Inr a machine of the character described, a worktable, clamping means for containers pivoted toY said work table, means for turning said clamping meansV about said pivot whereby to invert' said containers, means for delivering containers Vto said Work table and removing them therefrom, means operative in connection with saidr lastl mentioned means for actuating said clampinglmeansY to engage and release said containers, means operative in connection with said work table to clean said containers when in inverted position, said cleaning means comprising exhaust means, means for bringing said exhaust means into communication with said containers, and means operating through said exhaust means for introducing gas under pressure into said containers.

2. In a machine of the character described, a rotating work table, means for delivering containers to said work table, clamping means for said containers pivoted -to saidwork table, means operative during the movement of said work table to invert said clamping means whereby to invert said containers, means operative to clean said containers when inverted, means for returning said clamping means to original position, said means including a tube, and fluid pressure means for projecting said tube upwardly into said containers, and means for filling said containers after their return to original position.

3. In a machine of the character described, a rotating work table, clamping means for containers pivoted to said work table, cam means efiective during movement of said work table to engage and release containers in said clamping means, means for inverting said clamping means whereby to invert said containers and for returning said containers to upright position on said work table, means movable with said work table for introducing dry gas into said containers when inverted so as to clean said containers, means operative in connection with the movement of said work table acting as a valve for said gas, exhaust means for said containers, and means table, clamping means for containers pivoted to said mounting means, stationary cam means for releasing and engaging said clamping means, a stationary cam track member for engagement with said clamping means and operative to invert and return said clamping means during movement of the work table, uid pressure cleaning means movable with said work table and means operative to bring said uid pressure cleaning means into cleaning engagement with said containers when said containers are inverted, said fluid pressure means comprising an exhaust tting, meansto bring said fitting into communication with said containers, a tube, and uid pressure means for projecting said tube upwardly through said tting and into said containers.

5. In a machine of the character described, a rotating work table, mounting means on said work table, clamping means for containers pivoted to said mounting means, stationary cam means for releasing and engaging said clamping means, a stationary cam track member .for engagement with said clamping means and operative to invert and return said clamping means said cleaning means and a stationary exhaust manifold in connection therewith.

6. In a device of the character described, pivoted clamping means for containers, comprising a base, a standard on said base, and perforated means for engaging the tops of containers slidably mounted on said standard, whereby said containers may be clamped between said base and said last mentioned perforated means, means for swinging said clamping means about said pivot whereby to invert said containers and return them to normal position, and successively acting means operative through and forming sealing connection with said perforated top engaging means for cleaning said containers while in inverted position with dry gas, and for introducing material into said containers after they have been returned to upright position.

7. In a machine of the character described, a work table, clamping means for containers pivoted to said work table, means for turning said clamping means about said pivot whereby to invert said containers, means for delivering containers to said work table and removing them therefrom, means operative in connection with said last mentioned means for actuating said clamping means to engage and release said containers, means operative in connection with said work table to clean said containers when in inverted position, said cleaning means comprising exhaust means, means for bringing said exhaust means into communication with said containers, and means operating through said exhaust means for introducing gas under pressure into said containers, said last mentioned means comprising a tube, and means for projecting said tube into said containers.

8. In -a machine of the character described, a rotating work table, mounting means on said work table, clamping means for containers pivoted to said mounting means, stationary cam means for releasing and engaging said clamping means, a stationary cam track member for engagement with said clamping means and operative to`invert and return said clamping means during movement of the work table, fluid pressure cleaning means movable with said work table and means operative to bring said uid pressure cleaning means into cleaning engagement with said containers when said containers are inverted, said means comprising connections between said uid pressure cleaning means and said work table, and a stationary valve plate operative in connection with said work table for admitting fluid under pressure to said uid pressure cleaning means upon rotation of said work table, rotatable exhaust means in connection with said cleaning means and a stationary exhaust manifold in connection therewith, said luid pressure cleaning means including a tube, and means for projecting said tube upwardly through said exhaust means and into said containers.

PAUL R. FECHHEIMER. 

